You would think a thing like having the best record since All-Star break, and being in first place in the NL West would make Carl Crawford appreciate the now and quit dwelling on the past, but no, he’s not quite done bashing the Red Sox.

Call it fair, call it foul, but Carl Crawford is letting it out for the world to see. Now that he’s finally healthy and producing for his team, Crawford is reflecting on his time in Boston, in an interview with ESPN Los Angeles.

Sunday will mark the anniversary of the massive trade with Boston, which brought Crawford to the Dodgers. Crawford stated the following:

“That was one of the toughest times in my life, ever, from when I was a little kid, 1 year old,…It definitely was one of the best things that ever happened to me in my life to be traded over here.”

“You make $20 million, but it’s not like they’re begging me to hit a home run every time I go up there, you know what I’m saying? It’s not like I need to go 5-for-5 every at-bat and, if I don’t, I’m considered the worst player on the planet.”

One can understand Crawford’s frustration, from being judged for your every single at bat. No doubt the pressure took its toll on him.

But one also has to keep in mind it was Crawford who decided to go to the Red Sox–he was not traded there, he chose to go to Boston, knowing all too well the expectations that come with being a Red Sox. Any ribbing he took from the media and fans should’ve been something to consider before signing on the dotted line.

Crawford had awful stats in his 2011 season in Boston, hitting just 11 homers and a .255 batting average. Sure, the $142 million seven-year deal he inked that off season played a role in why he was so scrutinized, but to totally pass the blame? Hmmm

Crawford had been cautioned to hold his tongue when talking about his two seasons in Boston and further vented:

It [ticked] me off so much, the things I had said about me. I have the type of spirit that, if you say something to me, I’m going to say something back.”

Again, if his skin wasn’t tough enough why would he got to Boston in the first place? Doesn’t take a hardcore baseball scholar to understand the importance of baseball in the city and how serious it’s regarded.

Although Crawford willingly chose to play for the Red Sox is he still at least partially justified in speaking out about the too high unrealistic expectations in the market? Or is he just whining?

One thought on “Is Carl Crawford Justified For Whining About His Time As A Red Sox?”

When Crawford signed with Boston, the event was well celebrated…but as a player on this team, his ability to contribute was also dissected by Red Sox fans before he ever set foot on the field.

His asset is his speed. But his speed would diminish in the later years of the contract. His speed would not be fully used in the strict confines of Fenway’s left field. His performance at the plate? We had no worries with that, as he always hit well at Fenway.

The thing is, Crawford seemed scared and isolated at Fenway. He was like an onion who’s layers could not be peeled back. I don’t think it was “Fenway”, the players on the roster, or the Boston media in general that were at fault, as other newcomers seemed to always blend in quite well.

It honestly seemed to be a “Carl Thing”.

His tentativeness was evident. He played left field at Fenway better as a visiting player with the Rays/Devil Rays than he ever did when left field at Fenway was his home turf.

Although he always had an open batting stance, he showed up at Fenway with a WIDE OPEN stance. So open that it looked like he might strain his groin just standing there.

He had limited success at the plate. He had a complete buffoon for a manager (Bobby Valentine), that probably didn’t help him much. But Crawford also missed numerous games due to injury.

Fans were rooting for him. But fans were also concerned for him. We wanted to see him blossom, not fail.

Crawford was indeed truly wronged when he made a rehab appearance in a minor league park and some “idiot” in the stands tossed out racial epithets towards Crawford. Thankfully, the fans around the “idiot” called security and the incident was handled.

So is Crawford taking the baggage that happened at that minor league park 100 miles from Fenway and is he finally unloading it on us now? C’mon. Grow up, son.

Crawford was well paid. The Red Sox made him a mega-millionaire. If he plays 150 games a season he’s making $133k a game.

Crawford himself acted like a recluse in Boston. He himself made it hard for fans to get to know him, or know about him.

His performance on the field was woeful. If Crawford was a Triple-AAA call-up, he would have been sent back down to the minors. He was that underwhelming. As a $20M a year player? He was horrible.

He was packaged to a new team where he can get a fresh start and thrive. The deal was good for Boston. And it was good for Carl Crawford.

Boston fans really aren’t angry at Carl Crawford. Is it logical that a fan base wants their $20M a year player to fail? That’s absurd.

I, as a fan not just of the Red Sox but of baseball as a whole, can’t for the life of me figure out why Carl Crawford is angry at Boston.

Crawford simply needs to look in the mirror. Sometimes you succeed. Sometimes you don’t. In Boston, he didn’t. He needs to accept that, embrace that, grow stronger, and move on.